On the Road

Original artwork by Jonathan Baker

When we moved back to California in June 2011 the plan was always to stay until Leah finished high school.  Last year, as a first step toward leaving Chico, we sold our house and got rid of about 75% of our stuff.  Now that Leah has graduated we are ready to finish the purge of possessions and hit the road.  Where to?  Eventually we would like to land back in Europe. For now, vagabonding through North America is the plan.

On October 15 we are giving up our lease and hitting the road.  We will have a travel trailer with enough room for sleeping, working, and schooling. We are even taking the cats.  When we get tired of trailer living we may sublet furnished places for short terms.  Portland, Boulder, San Francisco, and Santa Cruz come to mind.

When I told my dad (a fan of the film The Graduate) he said, “Cyndi, this whole idea sounds pretty half-baked.”  Having heard him repeat this quote many times, I said, “No, it’s not Dad. It’s completely baked.”  We are the Bakers after all.

If all goes to plan, August will be spent selling the car, buying a big diesel truck, and selecting our home on the road.  September we will test drive the trailer, first short trips, and then a long one to Sandpoint, Idaho for my cousin’s wedding. Early October we will box up some small stuff, keepsakes, and sporting gear to place in storage.  The rest will be sold off in a whole-house estate sale.

This week we are going to hang a map on the wall.  Jon says there will be push-pins and strings.  I think home-schooling Axel from the road will present challenges but will also provide opportunities for making his studies come to life in a variety of new places.  As for our work, we will have to stay within the confines of 4G LTE for now, at least on workdays.  Already coming up with ideas for the home office, aka the trailer’s couch area.

I am most looking forward to new disc golf courses, following nice weather, and finding adventure with my family.  We are excited, we are crazy, we are weird.  Cannot wait to see what happens next.